Resume question for those who hire

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Kurt V

I think Paco's revision is the cleanest and the one I would be most responsive to as an employer.

Agreed, the stay at home dad "achievements" can all be summarized into one bullet. It is assumed that in order to found and grow the group you would be required to market it and organize events. Showing why you stayed home, and that you didn't just watch soaps for 5 years, should help keep you out of the rejection pile.

[holtjv]

I would say Paco's is best, too. Maybe one of the questions I would have would be, what would keep you from resuming your life as a stay at home dad a year after I hired you?

Why are you resuming work now? Daughter's in school? will you need to leave early to pick her up? Will you be the primary contact/caregiver if she gets sick at school and needs to go home?

At our work, none of these things would disqualify you--in fact, we have several people who bring their babies in during the day if they need to, or work at home if a child gets sick or whatever.

But I could see where some companies would not be as flexible and an old way of thinking could enter into the decision. Best to approach those issues upfront as you're doing, and if you get an interview, talk about any other instances in which you may need your employer to be more flexible.

HTH.

Jack

[LeeH]

Originally Posted by holtjv

Why are you resuming work now? Daughter's in school? will you need to leave early to pick her up? Will you be the primary contact/caregiver if she gets sick at school and needs to go home?

That's why I'm self employed. I just happen to have a 3:00 appointment every day that my wife is out of town.

[sammyg2]

I read about 20 resumes a month, if you had a 5 year gap I would simply leave it out. don't mention it at all. If the prospective employer notices and is curious he or she will ask.

I would say that "stay at home dad" on a resume would be a detractor. Not because you stayed at home, but because you actually put that on a resume.

But I work in an industrial setting. if I worked in a setting that was more "open" or at least less conservative or male dominated, it would prolly be a different story. Some industries are still very old fashioned and have that macho dinosaur attitude.

[JeremyD]

I 2nd Paco's advice - leave it in - minimize it - maybe put something about keep your skills/abilities current taking an online course, using the computer to help relatives with taxes - anything that keeps your mind and skills in the game - other than that - sounds like a smart financial move.

[VaSteve]

I would not put it in. For one, the way the laws are now, they are really not supposed to know you do anything BUT work. At least around here, if you are a woman and have a baby and disappear for 3 months, the employer is not supposed to talk about it.

That being said, I have two kids and I can understand why you did what you did. But *I* couldn't do it. Egad, it's hard word.

Also, (a moot point since I said leave it off) consider apostrophe use. It's a tough one in this situation, because it indicates possessive, but I'm no sure there is a possessive need here. Reading material with improperly used apostrophes drives me nuts.

See:
• Co-founded stay-at-home-dads support group.
• Marketed dads group to other stay at home dads around Phoenix.
• Organized play groups and dads night out events.
• Helped grow dads group to over 60 participants.

Finally, if you're looking for work as an accountant, the bullet should be:
LeeH, Independent Consultant/Self Employed (use either)

• Managed financial records of XX clients using quickbooks
• Assisted in tax preparation

[LeeH]

Originally Posted by VaSteve

Also, (a moot point since I said leave it off) consider apostrophe use. It's a tough one in this situation, because it indicates possessive, but I'm no sure there is a possessive need here. Reading material with improperly used apostrophes drives me nuts.

See:
• Co-founded stay-at-home-dads support group.
• Marketed dads group to other stay at home dads around Phoenix.
• Organized play groups and dads night out events.
• Helped grow dads group to over 60 participants.

Finally, if you're looking for work as an accountant, the bullet should be:
LeeH, Independent Consultant/Self Employed (use either)

• Managed financial records of XX clients using quickbooks
• Assisted in tax preparation

Hmmm... interesting point on the apostrophe. I'm thinking since it's a plural possessive that " dads' " would be correct.

I didn't do any paid work during this time, so I was trying to explain the time, and show I did more than diapers. I used the four bullet points just to maintain balance. Each job has title, date, location, brief summary and four bullet points.

I haven't sent this resume out much since including the stay-at-home dad time, but it has a very high success rate. I can only think of one time I sent it out and didn't get some sort of response.

[MFAFF]

I'm surprised anyone would advocate leaving a gap of 5 years in a resume.

Certainly the first part I look at the the nature and length of previous employment. I gives a quick overview on the type of work they have done and the 'commitment' shown.

To me a number of employers each for a short period of time is different to a smaller number each for a long time. In what I do a project is often 3-4 years long.. so if they are claiming to have been responsible for XYZ and yet there were only there for a couple of years then clearly they were not as responsible for it as they are claiming. Responsible for parts, but not necessairly the whole. It helps dort out those we want to interview and those we do not.

So to me a 5 year gap with no explanation is something I would like to explore at interview, but unless the rest is really what I am looking for it might move it from the 'get them in'to the 'maybe' pile.

I think that the nature of what you did in that time is being undervalued , certainly by yourself. Creating an group of such as the one you did is not about the touchy feeling part...(!) its about being organised to do it, to get it going and to keep it moving. These skills are relevant to the work place, regardless of why they were being done.

[JeremyD]

Nay Nay - and I am in the employment field - leave it off and you are trying to hide something. I recommend to all my clients to include everything - even if it's just a bullet point that you can explain in detail later. My first guess at a 5 year break without any explaination is you were in jail....

[KFC911]

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a "techie" in the IT field (over 25 years), and I get a chuckle from some "HR types". Over the years, I don't recall a single candidate (sent by HR) that was worth a damn (or even a close fit) who made it through our departmental evaluations. In fact (I'm sure I'll get slammed for this but), HR has pretty much been a joke at every major corp that I've worked, and I've been with some biggies. When I send out a resume (I haven't in years, don't need too), my goal is to simply get past the HR bs, and talk to the "hiring manager". I keep my resume brief (1 page) on purpose. If I started listing "detailed bullet items", 5 pages would not do it justice. I'm sure my resume would get "immediately filtered" by some, but that's OK too, as this strategy has worked well for me over my career.

[frogger]

Originally Posted by JeremyD

Nay Nay - and I am in the employment field - leave it off and you are trying to hide something. I recommend to all my clients to include everything - even if it's just a bullet point that you can explain in detail later. My first guess at a 5 year break without any explaination is you were in jail....

Or, at best, a drunken sabbatical.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by nostatic

That would work for me. I always want to know about gaps and figure out why someone is looking to make a change (we're in the middle of interiewing for a position right now), and that is a creative solution to the question.

+1, and you created something that grew to 60 members, shows independance and organizational skills.

Saves them wondering what you were doing, you leave a gap without any explanation on a resume it will definitely cut down on call backs. Have to say something about a big hole like that.

[Jeff]

Lee, Talk to Mike's wife about it. After all she is a V.P. of H.R at a major worldwide company.

Sounds like a great reason to have a BBQ!

[VaSteve]

Originally Posted by LeeH

Hmmm... interesting point on the apostrophe. I'm thinking since it's a plural possessive that " dads' " would be correct.

In editing my response, I couldn't decide if you were going for plural possessive or not, so I took it out entirely. It was weird the first way though....unless it was a group of one (you)

[Moneyguy1]

Did you take any correspondence courses or otherwise keep updated in your specific line of endeavour?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Just put "Unemployed Beach Bum". Always worked for me.

[LeeH]

Originally Posted by Moneyguy1

Did you take any correspondence courses or otherwise keep updated in your specific line of endeavor?

That would involve me having a specific line of endeavor. I had just sold my business in Atlanta before we moved to Phoenix. I was looking for a business to buy when we got pregnant. I sort of stumbled on the accounting gig when I called our CPA asking him if any of his small business clients were hiring. He said he'd think about it. Two days later he hired me. Now I do the same work, but independently. It's worked out well as the CPA sends me a lot of clients.